Confessions of a One-Track Mind

I just got back from a munchie run to WalMart. Had to snag a few nibbles for The Wedding...an Event like this demands something a cut above peanut butter and crackers. So I got some veggie cream cheese and a small beef summer sausage and some marked-down Easter goodies. Nomnomnom!

I remember watching Charles and Diana's wedding. It certainly doesn't seem like 30 years ago! I wasn't wild about the wedding dress itself---good grief, you could convert the damned train into a very posh car cover---but the little pink suit she wore when they left for the honeymoon was darling, especially the hat!

I particularly recall a conversation shortly before the day...in the frenzy of coverage, the media reported that Diana had had a gynocological visit. The person I was talking to commented that they (meaning the Royal Family) had to make sure she was still a virgin.

I was quite shocked. In 1981? Really, who cared about such prudery? (I later read a bio of the couple that confirmed that yes indeed, virginity verification was vital!)

I haven't heard any such palaver about today's bride. Is she or isn't she? That's nobody's business but her own! (Although I'm inclined to believe they have. They've lived together and vacationed together and for heaven's sake, it's the 21st century!)

Meanwhile, I'm anxious to see her dress. Since it will undoubtedly influence bridal fashion for the next decade, I'm really hoping for something classy. In fact, if Kate reverses the strapless-crumb-catcher-with-a-corset trend, I'll be overjoyed.

TLC is my channel of choice for coverage. Clinton Kelly is one of the hosts, and I'm sure he'll have some pithy comments about how everyone is dressed. I also look forward to seeing HATS. The Brits DO hats...honestly, if I'm ever over there again, I'm definitely going to invest in a fab bonnet!

TTFN!
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Yesterday was a very long day, especially with scarcely five hours sleep to prepare me for it (and even LESS sleep the night before, because I kept thinking of "One more thing!" that needed to be done). Which is one of the reasons GK is going up to GA with BC to see our friend without me. That, and another ten hours in a vehicle with BC might just drive me crazy---both the ten hours part and the BC part.

Backtrack: The RenFest was...underwhelming. The new site is in a wooded area, but because it isn't permanent like the old one, the infrastructure is lacking. NONE of the shows had enough seating, and forget random benches scattered around the grounds. Also, some idjit thought it was a good idea to add wood chips to the ground for...traction? IDEK what brain!fail they were operating under, because this wasn't the kind of wood chips you'd spread in your garden: There were big fist-sized chunks in amongst the smaller chips, which were downright treacherous.

I had no money, and to add insult to injury, my camera's battery decided to die for good an hour after we got there. It was warm and sunny, but there was some shade and I wore sunscreen, so I didn't even pink noticably, but I was wickedly thirsty.

Doc didn't come; he was busy having a crisis of his own. That's why the Savannah trip got rearranged into a one-day whirlwind, we're going over to Sarasota tomorrow to see him.

The highlight of the day was definitely the kilt competition. *smirk* I'm VERY sorry I didn't get pix of that! Twelve fine specimens ranging from teenagers to seventyish strutted across the stage, making their pleats swirl and their sporrans dance. It was...inspiring.

GK took me, BC's daughter and Daughter's Bestie to the Queen's Tea. We got there at the last minute, and ended up sitting at the back of the tent. We were far away from the Queen, who was hostessing a presentation on tea culture throughout the world, but right next to the table where the scones, sandwiches and cakes were, ensuring that we got served first. It was pleasant to sit in the shade, have a nibble and a sip and the Queen (who'd also judged the kilt competion with verve) was a hoot. There were also fops serving the tea and munchies; one of them had the most extraordinary hat,covered with multi-colored roses and trailed by several vivid plumes.

Speaking of which, there was a booth selling the most gorgeous hats. I tried one on and had a very nice chat with the proprietress. (She said that she could tell I was a sister Hat Person by the fact that I could pronounce 'cloche' correctly.) My own hat was a woven straw panama, very simple, with a silk scarf in blues and purples tied around the crown. (I had on a blue top, brown vest and dark green skirt, so you have an idea.) But these hats were far superior! I had palpitations! They were awesome velvet creations with ornate rickrack trimming and rosettes of feathers and bejeweled pins. The cost of any one of them was more money than I've seen this month. I'd have to wear it to church every week for a year just to amortize it. But I got her card, and if I ever strike it rich....

Whoever did the cartography on the complimentary map ought to face the hangman; it was bloody useless. I got lost toward the end of the day, and went around in circles until I was near tears. Finally got out of there and then had trouble finding the van.

I'm very glad I thought to bring my MP3 player, and that it had good, fresh batteries in it. (Not the same size as the camera, alas, or I would've been in business.) I plugged the earbuds in and it drowned out Other Music Selections and the sound of BC droning on. Although at one point, I'd swear I heard GK mention the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

We got back to town around 9PM. GK dropped me off first---she said I looked "haggard"---and went off to BC's for an hour...then she came back and took me to Olive Garden for a late dinner. I had two bowls of pasta e fagioli soup and an appetizer, she had a salad, shrimp and veggies.

It was midnight by the time we got home. More domestic analysis ensued. I really wasn't planning to start on my kitchen at 1 AM, but that's what happened. Now my pantry has been emptied of non-food items, and I have a to-do list of what's to follow. I've done none of it. GK got up at 7, and so did I, because it was impossible to sleep through. She ran around for two hours before departing, and shortly thereafter, I went back to bed and slept til 12:45.

And now I've blogged for almost an hour and a half, and next thing I'm going to do is have breakfast. I honestly don't expect her back much before midnight, allowing for meals and such, and I'm probably going to be up all night. We'll see.

TTFN.
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I did!



And for reference, a close-up of the accessories on the chapeau:


The pin is mine; it's sterling, and I've had it for ages. The hat is from WalMart.

REMEMBER:
Vote early, vote often!


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Today's dog was cancelled, which doesn't bother me; I need to do laundry. It's in progress even as we speak: the first half of the first load is in the dryer. I read somewhere that one way to extend your washer's life is NOT to do back-to-back loads but to allow the motor time to cool down in between...so I've been drying half a load at a time, which gives the stuff in the dryer more room, so they dry faster.

Originally, I had planned a simple, sober plum ensemble for the funeral. Wide-legged pants, a sort of satiny-boucle top, nothing dramatic. Then yesterday, GK and I dropped some donations off at the Sharing Center and took a few minutes to go in and browse. I found A Hat. OMG, love at first sight, tried it on, HAD to have it. Had to. And because it has a veil, GK asked if I was going to wear it to the funeral. (Adding that she was going to have on a red dress.) Okay then. I guess I'll be more splendiferous than planned.

Let me describe The Hat to you, so you know why I hesitated. This is a High Church sort of hat. The shape is fedora over a round brim that curves down like a bowl. It's embellished with a two-toned flower, has two-toned band encircling the crown, and a wide-gage black fishnet veil. Oh, and the two tones? Are basic black and vivid lime green. The Hat itself is green felt, the band is green-on-black grosgrain, and the flower is small-gage stiff black tulle bound with green grosgrain. This is a Drop Dead sort of hat, and I think I'm the only person I know who'd try it on, much less buy it with the knowledge that I could rock it.

The more I think about it, the more sure I am that this is exactly the right thing to wear to Kat's funeral. Because if she had seen me wear it, she would have said, "Wow!" and not criticized me for wearing something "inappropriate". In the days before I got fashion (much the same as some of my other friends 'got religion'), she never said a word about how loose, tight, faded or ugly my clothes were. She was the most accepting, non-judgemental person I've ever known.

With that in mind, I'm going to wear the skirt S gave me last year, which has a black background and a print in tones of green, violet and aqua. I checked; it goes beautifully with The Hat. Which top will depend on Saturday's weather. I have assorted long- and short-sleeved tops in all three colors and can mix and match to suit the climate.

For tomorrow's viewing, I'm leaning toward navy (topped by my navy hat), rather than black, although that, too, will be weather-dictated.

Today feels like it should be a Friday, but I'm still rather out of it. I can't believe she's gone....
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Source of The Hat: http://www.mrsongmillinery.com -- Aretha's hat was apparently a custom number, but they have similar styles. I haven't looked at the prices, just drooled over les chapeaus. Or is that chapeaux? Feh, I flunked beginning French, which I only took because I saw Papillion like, six times the previous summer.

( During the Inauguration, I also really loved the poem that was written and read by Elizabeth Alexander: )

And...they're married. ( Do you really want to listen to me obsess about it at length? )

I woke up this morning feeling like autumn is finally here. I turned off the A/C unit in my bedroom, perhaps not until spring, but at least for the moment. I can wander around the house fully dressed without feeling like I'm going to dissolve. I voluntarily put on *jeans* this morning---another one of those things I don't do if I can help it during warm weather. And... *happy sigh* I'm wearing a plaid flannel shirt.

( Clink for kink! )